1. Pay attention to texture
You want to ensure that your sandwiches remain firm despite the commute and that they don’t arrive soggy when it comes time to eat. Avoid sandwiches with waterlogged fresh tomatoes, or those with lettuce, which risk becoming wilted by the time they’re ready to be served.
Our recommendations include grilled vegetable sandwiches. By toasting the bread only on one side, this ensures your vegetables won’t get it too wet. Chopped sandwiches are also a good option, because they allow you to put in a generous amount of filling that’s held in a dense submarine loaf that won’t get soaked in sauce once you arrive at your destination.
Summer Picnic
Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches with Parmesan Spread
2. Add flavour and freshness
Who doesn’t enjoy a salad when eating at the park? When prepared ahead of time, the flavours improve, especially if it’s a pasta salad. For a fresh effect, choose a few herbs that can be chopped ahead of time and then added at the last minute so that they stay fresh and don’t wilt. You can even keep a bit of dressing aside to add right before serving.
Sweet and salty orzo with cauliflower, corn and bacon, as well as our pasta salad with grilled vegetables, drizzled with a fresh tomato dressing, are a few suggestions that are big on flavour, can be assembled the night before, and are quick and easy to make.
Pasta Salad
Orzo with Cauliflower, Corn and Bacon
3. Choose dishes that keep well
Adding a large quantity of ice to your drinks helps keep them cold, because the more ice there is, the less it melts. You can even leave the house with a pitcher filled with ice to then add directly into a delicious peach lemonade or a refreshing orange and honey lemonade. This way, your drink or flavoured water will be at the perfect temperature once you’re at the park. Also plan on bringing a few bottles of lemon water for something even more thirst-quenching.
Summer Cocktails
Peach and Camomile Lemonade
Summer Cooking
Orange-Honey Lemonade
4. Choose the right ingredients
We’ve all probably had our cake icing melt upon arriving at the park at least once. Given that the weather can be warm during a picnic, you have to think about the ingredients you’ll be using in your recipe. When it comes to desserts in particular, go with something that is the least sensitive to heat and travels well.
Classic rice cereal squares are perfect to bring to the park, as are shortbread cookies with a pretty floral design. Once baked, they remain nice and won’t need any refrigeration. If you would much prefer something chocolatey, go for brownies; despite the heat, they won’t melt in your hands. So forget the whipped cream, yogurt and large amounts of chocolate. That way, you won’t be in for any unexpected surprises!
Bars and squares
Rice Cereal and Marshmallow Squares (Rice KrispiesTM Squares)
For more picnic ideas, be sure to consult our wide selection of recipes: